Questions for Videos
| How did the teacher make sure that the students were able to demonstrate their thinking, answer the question? |
| The teacher consistently asked students to rationalize their answers. Students were encouraged to piggy-back off of their peers thinking, which demonstrated that the students were listening to each other. The teacher did not monopolize the discussion, and instead acted as a facilitator. |
| What are some features of the learning environment that support this questioning? |
| The students were positioned in a circle, allowing them all to see each other, which encouraged discussion. Each child had a copy of the picture, and were able to refer to the image when making their comment. Rules were posted and discussed prior to beginning the discussion. The teacher created a welcoming and encouraging environment, and responded positively to all contributions. |
| How does asking higher order thinking questions and eliciting explanations improve students’ learning? |
| It forces the students to think deeper, because they know they will be asked to explain their answer. It also allows them to see that it's okay to disagree and have a different opinion than others in the group. It celebrates differences, and opens students up to alternate ideas and perspectives. |
| How do you ensure a culture that engages every student, every question, every time? |
| Students should understand that the teacher is not the holder of all knowledge, and that they will learn more from interacting with their peers. The teacher should also create an accountability for all students - that they can be called on at any time to give a response and support their thinking. Piggy-backing off their classmates allows students to build off of each other's thinking and can help create new ideas. |